tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44812244088014367742024-03-12T20:20:50.595-07:00Reading Glutton"Reading without reflecting is like eating without digesting." --Edmund BurkePaul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.comBlogger1754125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-78983269358327865612023-03-31T07:00:00.002-07:002023-04-01T07:38:39.431-07:00The Dispatcher: Travel by Bullet, by John Scalzi<p> In <i>The Dispatcher: Travel by Bullet</i>, John Scalzi continues to explore a world where death is, sort of, optional. (See my review of the first <i>Dispatcher</i> novel here: <a href="https://readingglutton.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-dispatcher-by-john-scalzi.html">https://readingglutton.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-dispatcher-by-john-scalzi.html</a>.) The first thing to know, which you would know if you read either of the first 2 books in the series, is that people can be "dispatched" to a previous condition, in other words, if they are killed they simply revert back to their previous physical condition, waking up naked in a comfortable place. It's a weird as it sounds, but Scalzi skillfully makes it not weird.</p><p>The dispatcher aids in this process, or counsels against it, based on the situation. Scalzi's dispatcher gets himself involved with some underworld characters, who are involved with some billionaires, who have plans for expanding their power. To be honest, as much as I admire Scalzi's ability to place this unusual feature (dispatching) in an otherwise normal contemporary setting (dealing with the aftereffects of the pandemic, people getting used to the idea of cryptocurrency), the story itself didn't capture me. The schemes of evil men and women, the cartoonish desire to control and direct affairs, the sneakiness of the characters to artificially twist the plot combined to make me glad the book was short. </p><p>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy.</p><p><br /></p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Dispatcher-Travel-Bullet-John-Scalzi-ebook/dp/B0BX73GGL4/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_w=2ExZV&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.22f5776b-4878-4918-9222-7bb79ff649f4&amp;pf_rd_p=22f5776b-4878-4918-9222-7bb79ff649f4&amp;pf_rd_r=143-3430325-8911026&amp;pd_rd_wg=MJZNa&amp;pd_rd_r=b49fe922-aa44-48d8-b906-a8cf309982fe&amp;ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk&_encoding=UTF8&tag=readingglut0b-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=6d2934a31faf49ed0880ca4f9da5a45d&camp=1789&creative=9325">The Dispatcher Travel by Bullet</a></p>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-67688449589757515862022-05-11T06:00:00.003-07:002022-05-11T06:00:00.173-07:00The Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi<p>You may have wondered, Where do all those giant monsters in the Godzilla movies come from? John Scalzi has the answer. In <i>The Kaiju Preservation Society</i>, Scalzi takes us on an adventure to a parallel universe, where Earth is sort of like Earth, but different. One of the key, immediately obvious differences is the large number of creatures of all sizes that can kill you. And by the way, the world's elite have known about this place for decades, carefully keeping it secret from people like you and me.</p><p>In a story that is part <i>Jurassic Park</i>, part <i>King Kong</i>, Scalzi keeps it light, with hip, young characters and a tone that makes me think, hmmm, it's possible. After Jamie gets shut out of a start-up she'd been working for, one of her customers somewhat randomly offers her a job. Little did she know she'd be working at a research center studying unimaginable creatures in another world. And of course, when money-hungry businessmen get their hands on some of the research subjects, it's all going to go wrong.</p><p>I haven't read a lot of Scalzi, but <i>Kaiju</i> seems different from the space operas and military sci-fi that made him famous. This is more of a diversion, like <i>Redshirts</i>. <i>Kaiju </i>was fun to read, and one can't help thinking it would be a blast to see on the big screen. </p><p><br /></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readingglutto-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0765389126&asins=0765389126&linkId=0d94bc862558e7b6e76fda11f04a5b88&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><i>Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></p>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-20620753531544289752022-05-09T14:57:00.001-07:002022-05-09T14:57:00.179-07:00Don't Burn This Country: Surviving and Thriving in Our Woke Dystopia, by Dave Rubin<p> As a follow up to his first book, <i>Don't Burn This Book</i>, Dave Rubin shows growth and maturity as a writer and commentator in his new book, <i>Don't Burn This Country: Surviving and Thriving in Our Woke Dystopia</i>. Rubin's intellectual evolution has been honest, public, and fascinating. As a Jewish gay man, he wouldn't necessarily be considered a spokesperson for political conservatism. But the ranks of gay Republicans and conservatives keep growing, as people of all stripes become disenchanted with the radicalism of the left. <br /></p><p>Rubin talks about his intellectual journey a bit, but mostly talks about issues and ideas. His web program of long-form interviews, <a href="https://rubinreport.com/" target="_blank">https://rubinreport.com/</a>, has given him a great stable of interesting and compelling guests, many of whom he quotes in the book. Most importantly, Jordan Peterson has been a mentor and collaborator; Peterson's influence on Rubin is deep and strong.</p><p>If you've seen his show or listened to his interviews, his writing style will be familiar to you, with his casual humor (at one point he was a stand-up comic) balanced by a willingness to explore a wide variety of intellectual topics. His Rand-influenced classical liberalism shines through, but it has been softened and molded by contemporary conservative thought.</p><p><i>Don't Burn This Country</i>, and Rubin's work in general, is a solid introduction to the secular conservatism that has come to dominate much of Republican activism. Readers on the right will find much to affirm and agree with, but, more importantly, readers on the left will find someone who is engaging and inoffensive while portraying conservative principles. </p><p><br /></p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readingglutto-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0593332148&asins=0593332148&linkId=cb4e86ed37e4647be86f982f08c20799&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-82317631582316679262022-05-06T06:00:00.047-07:002022-05-07T14:56:26.720-07:00Stringers, by Chris Panatier<p> Don't panic, Douglas Adams's status as the greatest sci-fi comedy writer of all time is safe. But Adams did pave the way for some worthy successors like Chris Panatier. <i>Stringers</i> is a wild galactic trip with aliens, artificial humanoids, and a swarming extragalactic super species.</p><p>When Ben and his buddy Patton head for a rural rendezvous with a stranger they met in an internet chat room, they had no idea they were going to be abducted by an alien slave trader. As it turns out, Ben has the key to the destruction of the galaxy in his untapped memories, and the swarming super species wants to tap him. With the help of his fellow trafficking victims, maybe they can save the galaxy.</p><p><i>Stringers </i>is an enjoyable story that doesn't dwell on the meaning of life, but has a fun plot and likable characters. There are plenty of good moments and memorable lines, like this character's comments about immortality. In response to another character's question about whether he is immortality, the artificial humanoid character says, "If no one kills me, yes. Of course, how does one prove immortality? Forever has no endpoint. So, I suppose I'm immortal in the sense that I will live until I die." This kind of thoughtful humor is sprinkled throughout an adventure story that will leave you asking for more. And, not to give a spoiler, but Panatier does leave it open further adventures. . . . I would go on another adventure with this crew!</p><p><br /></p><iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readingglutto-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=0857669621&asins=0857669621&linkId=1b1392cb02345b53aef677dc34093a62&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe><p><i>Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></p>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-43026110673879100072022-05-04T06:00:00.006-07:002022-05-07T14:53:32.721-07:00If God Is Love, Don't Be a Jerk, by John Pavlovitz<p>I love the title of this book! I picked it up with anticipation, knowing nothing about the author. Once I started reading, it didn't take long to know that this guy represents so much that is wrong with Christianity. He's a proud and outspoken progressive Christian. You know, the group that calls themselves Christians then spends all their time telling you about how they reject Christianity. I mean, seriously, Pavlovitz rejects so much of historic Christianity that I wonder if he really could be considered a Christian.</p><p>Besides slinging mud at theological principles, he spends even more time slinging mud at his fellow believers. The main theme of the book is that he has grown in his progressive understanding, and now, if you don't believe the same things as him about the death penalty, abortion, immigration, same-sex marriage, etc., you clearly have not grown at all and are stuck in backwards, entrenched, unChristian viewpoints. In other words, you're a jerk.</p><p>I'll tell you who's a jerk. It's the guy who calls faithful Christians who disagree with him racists, prejudiced, territorial, hypocritical, cruel, lacking compassion. He has no room for anyone who holds conservative political views, no matter how based in Christian faith they might be, and he certainly has no room for anyone who supported or even cast a vote for Donald Trump.</p><p>I'll give him this: he can be engaging and entertaining. But his writing is poison. My heart breaks for the American church. I have seen too many Christians buy into this type of progressive rejection of evangelicalism. It's true, in many cases it's a failure of good discipleship. But mostly it's the embrace of the lies of the world. God help us.</p><p><a href="https://amzn.to/3MUvCD2">https://amzn.to/3MUvCD2</a></p><p><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy.</i></p><p><br /></p>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-82636870127648274442020-09-28T13:30:00.001-07:002020-09-28T13:30:02.815-07:00Color Blind, by Tom Dunkel<p> Every baseball fan knows about Jackie Robinson, who broke the color line in Major League baseball in 1947, and whose jersey number, 42, was permanently retired for all of MLB. As important as that step was for baseball, for professional sports, and for racial equality, the history of black athletes playing professional baseball is much older and more varied than Robinson's putting on a Dodgers uniform. Tom Dunkel tells the story of a Bismarck, North Dakota semipro baseball team that rose to national prominence, including a national tournament championship, while fielding a team of both black and white players.</p><p><i>Color Blind: The Forgotten Team That Broke Baseball's Color Line</i> is a colorful, entertaining historical account of American life in the Roaring Twenties and into the Great Depression. In small towns like Bismarck as well as in big cities, baseball was a source of entertainment and civic pride. Amateur and semipro teams abounded, representing their cities and towns, companies and civic organizations, and touring the country. Since the Major League teams didn't permit black players, black teams and leagues formed. Many of the players on these teams had more than enough talent to compete in the Majors, had they been permitted. Imagine telling a player, as some scouts told black players in <i>Color Blind</i>, I would recruit you to the Majors if only you were white.</p><p>Satchel Paige was one of those black pitchers who could have dominated batters in the Majors. When Neil Churchill, a car dealer in Bismarck, needed a pitcher for his semipro team, he didn't care what color his skin was. He knew Paige was the best pitcher around, and Churchill convinced him to come to North Dakota. In fact, he pulled black players from all over, building a roster split between black and white players. This mixed team beat black and white teams to win the 1935 national semipro tournament.</p><p>As remarkable as the race mixing on the team was, it didn't seem all that remarkable to the teammates, at least in Dunkel's telling. These were athletes who saw the value in their teammates on the field and, in many cases, socialized off the field as well. Overall, the impression I got was that few people truly wanted racial segregation in life and in baseball, but few were fully prepared to buck the norms of the day. When Churchill's team arrived for the tournament in Wichita, the hotel, surprised to see that the team was not all white, refused to let the black players stay. This could have been a great moment of team solidarity, with the white players insisting that their black teammates stay with them, or agreeing to stay in lesser accommodations in the black part of town. Alas, they bid their black teammates adieu, settling into their rooms while their black teammates set out to find their own places to stay. That's just how it was in the 1930s. </p><p>The tournament organizers did, in fact, break new ground by inviting both black and white teams to play. A few conflicts broke out on the field amid the racial tension, but teams came to play, not to display racial grievance. (However, some felt the tournament organizer arranged the brackets not only by seeding, but also in order to keep white teams from the Deep South from playing black teams.)</p><p><i>Color Blind </i>is not only a delight to read for baseball history buffs, but it's also a great ground-level history of popular culture in the U.S. in the 1920s and 1930s. In the time before television, and before going to the movies was even very common, going out to a ballgame was a prime entertainment choice. When every town had a ball team, the players became local heroes, with the whole town behind them. After World War 2, and the many changes that came in the 1940s and 1950s, this part of our culture died out. <i>Color Blind</i> tells this story amid the story of changing racial attitudes before the Civil Rights movement.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0802121373&asins=0802121373&linkId=f42718f72334d57f624509ea63b04db8&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-85923114410769590402020-09-21T13:30:00.033-07:002020-09-21T13:30:11.000-07:00Blitz: Trump Will Smash the Left and Win, by David Horowitz<p>David Horowitz's book <i>Blitz: Trump Will Smash the Left and Win</i> is perhaps better subtitled something like <i>Trump Will Smash the Left and, if Reasonable People Get Out and Vote</i>,<i> Ought to Win in 2020</i>. Even though Horowitz doesn't quite measure up to the bluster and confidence of the title, Horowitz lays out a great case for Trump.</p><p>In sum, Horowitz reviews Trump's successes throughout his first term. He details the harsh, unfair treatment he has received from the press. He describes the many ways that elected officials, appointees, and government bureaucrats have conspired to obstruct his administration. In the face of this opposition, it really is remarkable that he has accomplished as much as he has.</p><p>If you're looking for a strong, thoroughly sourced defense of Trump's first term, <i>Blitz </i>is a good place to start. Let's hope, for the sake of the country, that the prediction of Horowitz's title comes true in November.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1630061387&asins=1630061387&linkId=56c99df744fbb3e78160dc469ad83749&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-60206155617812247342020-09-18T13:30:00.068-07:002020-09-18T13:30:04.345-07:00A Cry from the Far Middle, by P.J. O'Rourke<p>P.J. O'Rourke is one of the funniest observers of American political life in the last half century. Some of his books are classics. His newest title, <i>A Cry from the Far Middle: Dispatches from a Divided Land</i>, is a worthy addition to his oeuvre, but it does show signs of his growing old[er] and [more] curmudgeonly. </p><p>O'Rourke consistently has terrific insights as well a gift for pithy one-liners. The world of Twitter and 24 hour news has given so many opportunities to hear people's opinions that O'Rourke's statement sums up political discourse perfectly: "What this country needs is fewer people who know what this country needs." Amen! Fewer opinions and smaller government are consistent themes for O'Rourke. He leans hard toward libertarianism: "Our government is so bad at everything that it can't even do nothing right." </p><p>Underneath the snarkiness and one liners, O'Rourke consistently has great insights as he communicates political and economic ideas in memorable and entertaining ways. For example, his discussion on the political theory of rights as <i>Getoutta here R</i>ights and <i>Gimmie </i>Rights. Individual rights and free markets guide O'Rourke's thinking and, really who can argue with that?</p><p>(As a side note, O'Rourke won points with me with this line: "Some fast food is delicious by any standards-- In-N-Out Burger, Chick-fil-A, Whataburger." I'll forgive him for liking the sub-standard burgers at In-N-Out, and everyone loves CfA. But his familiarity with and praise for my hometown regional burger chain--which has no locations anywhere near O'Rourke's Massachussetts home-- demonstrates his great taste and wisdom.)</p><p>There aren't many writers who have such keen insights into current affairs and who are endlessly entertaining to read. <i>A Cry from the Far Middle </i>won't thrill hard-core Trump fans, but O'Rourke is an equal opportunity offender and a thoughtful interlocutor across the political spectrum.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0802157734&asins=0802157734&linkId=030d64028addacf52a35c418452b746c&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<div><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-38694048800798551612020-09-14T13:30:00.079-07:002020-09-14T13:30:07.564-07:00Becoming Elisabeth Elliot, by Ellen Vaughn<p>Like many American Christians, I have held a long-time admiration for Jim Elliot and his companions, missionaries who were killed by people to whom they wanted to extend friendship and the gospel. His story made such an impression on me that I named by eldest son Elliot. So I was eager to read Ellen Vaughn's new biography of Elisabeth Elliot, Jim's wife, who bravely continued their work in the jungles of Ecuador.</p><p><i>Becoming Elisabeth Elliot</i> fully met my hopes and expectations. Vaughn covers Elisabeth's life from her childhood, to boarding school in Florida, to Wheaton and courtship with Jim, and to mission work in South America. There were several points about which I was surprised and appreciated Vaughn's insights. </p><p>Vaughn clearly has the greatest admiration for Elisabeth, but doesn't make her out to be a superhero or saint. For example, I was not aware of the simmering rivalry she had with Nate Saint's sister Rachel. (Nate Saint is the pilot who was with Jim Elliot when they were killed.) The two ladies lived among the Waodani, befriending the people responsible for Jim and Nate's murders. Rachel was a missionary with Wycliffe Bible Translators/SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics), while Elisabeth was basically independent, under the auspices of the Plymouth Brethren. They ended up butting heads over the New Testament translation work, with Rachel excluding Elisabeth from her work, and ultimately damaging their friendship and working relationship.</p><p>For this and related matters, Vaughn describes Elisabeth's frustration with Christian leaders and institutionalism. She grew weary of hierarchies that stifle the gospel and lack the ability to reach other cultures, not to mention the hypocrisy she observed among some Christian leaders. Elisabeth was very concerned about cultural imperialism. She wanted to be careful about introducing the Waodani to Jesus without their understanding being corrupted by Western culture and modern amenities and prosperity. Even with her deeply engrained personal modesty, she was comfortable with their nudism and lack of privacy about sex. She became troubled when they started wearing clothes, feeling guilty that she and the other missionaries were guilty of tearing down Waodani cultural norms and traditions.</p><p>As anyone who knows anything about Elisabeth's story and writings knows, she led a remarkable life and deserves a place among the heroes of the faith. Vaughn writes about Elisabeth's frustration when, for years after her husband's death, well-meaning people would ask whether it was worth it, entering into a calculus of how many lives were saved or impacted because of his sacrifice. Elisabeth felt they were asking the wrong questions. It's not a matter of results, but a matter of obedience. Whether he became a famous hero of the faith or a martyr forgotten in obscurity didn't matter; what mattered was his obedience to follow where God directed him. That is the choice we Christians face day by day, and, if you are looking for a guide, Elisabeth is one who has gone before. I'm grateful to know more about her example thanks to <i>Becoming Elisabeth Elliot</i>.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1535910933&asins=1535910933&linkId=4c62defdd93917e37a7f1388485c194f&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe><div><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-37820246970409475252020-09-13T13:30:00.001-07:002020-09-13T13:30:02.667-07:00LEGO Still Life with Bricks: The Art of Everyday Play, by Lydia Ortiz and Michelle Clair, photographs by Patrick Rafanan<p><span style="background-color: #38761d; font-family: times;">At first I ask, Why? But quickly that changed to Why not? This is so cool! The Lego creations in <i>Lego Still Life with Bricks: The Art of Everyday Play</i> are not what you typically expect from Lego. Designer/illustrators Lydia Ortiz and Michelle Clair took buckets of Lego bricks, combined them with everyday objects, and created some pretty intriguing images.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #38761d;"><span style="font-family: times;">As you would expect from the title, the selections are still life per the classic art tradition. Per Wikipedia, "depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural (food, flowers, dead animals, plants, rocks, shells, etc.) or man-made (drinking glasses, books, vases, jewelry, coins, pipes, etc.)" </span>Examples of many of those are included in <i>Still Life with Bricks</i>. Obviously, since these are kids building toys we are talking about, there is a tongue-in-cheek element. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: #38761d;">I love the colorful, creative designs, especially the ones that show a sequence, like popping a balloon. I especially like the series that depicts striking a match, lighting candles, then snuffing the candles and the smoke wafting away. So cool and creative!</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #38761d;">Some of the images use just a handful of bricks.</span></p><p><img alt="LEGO Still Life With Bricks Preview | BricksFanz" height="260" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49589717901_4584af295d_c.jpg" width="512" /></p><p>Other, hundreds. Thousands?</p><p><img height="266" src="https://images.brickset.com/news/sBeachSpread.jpg" width="524" /></p><p>The effect reminds me of a movie where the live action shots morph into animation. </p><p>These images, photographed by Patrick Rafanan are fun to look at, and it's fun to imagine what you might do if you had thousands of Lego bricks laying around!</p><p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=145217962X&asins=145217962X&linkId=8f7abac7df2c727163de45c33fa3c3b0&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe></p><div><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-76557182244591676132020-09-09T13:30:00.071-07:002020-09-09T13:30:04.957-07:00Tribes, by Marc Gimenez<p>Starting with his 2006 debut <i>The Color of Law</i>, Marc Gimenez has written some of the most entertaining legal fiction around. His newest novel, <i>Tribes</i>, marks the fourth appearance of A. Scott Fenney, the SMU football star who ditched his high-dollar law firm job on principle and was eventually appointed a federal judge. </p><p><i>Tribes </i>opens with FBI agent Cat Pena, whom we met in <i>The Absence of Guilt</i>, taking part in a raid on a Dallas gang house. She heroically takes out the gang members, rescuing a dozen girls who had been kidnapped for sex trafficking. But when the dust settles, she discovers that one of the shooters was a 12-year-old black boy. Why was he in the Latino gang's house? Why is there no powder residue on his hands or fingerprints on the gun? Did she really need to kill a black boy?</p><p>The story jumps right into today's headlines, and the streets erupt in anger over yet another innocent black boy killed by a white cop (yes, she's Latina, but still tagged as white). Desperate for legal help, she calls on her estranged lover Fenney. When she tells Fenney she's pregnant with his son, he decides he has no choice but to step down from the Federal bench and defend the mother of his son.</p><p>His daughters Boo and Pajamae are in fine form in <i>Tribes</i>, the highlight of the book. They are precocious and full of wisdom and insight for their father. Fenney seems to be getting more attractive with age; perhaps the power of the Federal bench draws women even more strongly. Everywhere he turns, women are throwing themselves at him, especially the D.A. who is charging Cat. Her power-hungry personality and her chosen means of advancement--using the men around her--reminded me of a certain D.A. on the Left coast who has come to prominence of late. . . .</p><p>Per his habit, Gimenez is not afraid to take on sticky subjects. In this case, let's just say that <i>Tribes </i>probably won't be chosen for the BLM book of the month. But he presents the issues in a thoughtful, reasonable way. Whether discussing black crime, police brutality, or the application of the Supremacy Clause, Gimenez lays out the case straightforwardly and with legal clarity. </p><p>Gimenez might be found guilty of overplaying Fenney's magnetism, or of overplaying the D.A.'s seductive evil, but I won't press charges. I enjoyed the book thoroughly, with its twists and turns. The denouement made me gasp, but left me gasping for the next Scott Fenney book.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B08DW4RMY6&asins=B08DW4RMY6&linkId=4eca066c3dd84e9f4f1a854df01c3cc4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-65380693584684578022020-09-07T13:30:00.002-07:002020-09-07T13:30:02.635-07:00Candidate Spectrum, by Brian Cato<p>Spectrum, an alien superhero in the tradition of Superman, longs to make a difference in the world. Sure, he can save lives and prevent destruction with his ability to fly and to manipulate molecular structures, but what about the bigger problems? Inequality, hunger, sickness, economic woes, unrest, how can a superhero address these? In Brian Cato's <i>Candidate Spectrum</i>, Spectrum, a.k.a. Grant Goslin, decides to step aside from his career as a superhero to enter political life, where he thinks he can have a greater impact. He has no trouble being elected governor of Missouri, Congress finagles a way to allow him to run for president, and he joins the fray in the 2020 election.</p><p>This is a clever set-up for the story, and Cato has some fun with it. Spectrum's reflections on public service and the life of the superhero are at times interesting and engaging. As the story gets rolling, the story-telling style is very straightforward: this happened, then this happened, then this happened. I kept thinking, OK, Cato is setting the scene for the meat of the plot. Unfortunately, by the time in the book where you think it's bound to get more entertaining, Cato shifts to a lot of speechifying. </p><p>Here's the feeling I have. Rather than thinking, "I'm going to write a book about a superhero. As part of the story, I'll have him run for president, and that will frame the adventures and conflicts of the novel," Cato thought, "I have some political ideas and ideals I'd like to write about. I'll create a superhero story to communicate those ideas." In other words, this is a political pamphlet with the barest story, rather than a superhero story in which the superhero runs for office.</p><p>So, take it for what you will, but if you are interested in a new superhero backstory, with adventures in crime fighting and heroic deeds, you'll be disappointed. Spectrum is not terribly original, and really only serves as a mouthpiece for Cato's political ideas.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B088KLBW5J&asins=B088KLBW5J&linkId=0b1800a0d817f92212f6056de732cabf&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<div><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-67951591185535851182020-09-06T13:30:00.033-07:002020-09-06T13:30:03.907-07:00Lego Small Parts<p>Aled Lewis is a Lego lover with a sense of humor. The humor in his book <i>Lego Small Parts: The Secret Life of Minifigures </i>fits right in with the silliness of the Lego movies and video games that my kids enjoy. (Who am I kidding? I love them, too!) </p><p>Lewis's Lego creations in <i>Lego Small Parts </i>are scenes with minifigures going about their days, captioned in the style of single-panel cartoons. Many, but not all, have Lego inside jokes, like the figure who stepped on a Lego brick barefoot, or the many jokes about minifigures' hair and hats.</p><p>If you are a Lego fan at all, you will appreciate the little details in Lewis's creations and you will love the silly Lego humor. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ht27fvald3ogmhcgLEXIRfwqPrvwUoE8lL8oKl1pWRooad9gdDdSieJQmXGEL05ePkuUCGI9RhKlNrnmY769Loq4NNpfqn2WTeBLfTU0PsOaUljQV2w_zybwdevciQ0TjIwOkqXkTR9o/s726/Screen+Shot+2020-09-06+at+1.43.33+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="726" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ht27fvald3ogmhcgLEXIRfwqPrvwUoE8lL8oKl1pWRooad9gdDdSieJQmXGEL05ePkuUCGI9RhKlNrnmY769Loq4NNpfqn2WTeBLfTU0PsOaUljQV2w_zybwdevciQ0TjIwOkqXkTR9o/w400-h311/Screen+Shot+2020-09-06+at+1.43.33+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div><p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1452182256&asins=1452182256&linkId=10881bbb8e09c7ac30a5473e3f5c8f38&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe></p><div><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-24076277177525565802020-09-04T13:30:00.062-07:002020-09-04T18:16:21.803-07:00How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps, by Ben Shapiro<p>Don't let the breezy title of <i>How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps</i> fool you. There's nothing breezy about Ben Shapiro's incisive commentary on the past, present, and future of the United States. Shapiro is probably best known for commentary on his podcasts and radio show and as a guest on other opinion and news shows, as well as for his sometimes caustic and confrontational college campus appearances. But he excels as a writer, challenging current popular ideas with hard facts from our history.</p><p>In <i>How to Destroy America</i>, Shapiro pits the Integrationist view against a Unionist view. The "three steps" are: dismantling equal rights in favor of equality of outcome; destroying cultural values "in favor of a culture of protection by government"; and distorting history by "convincing citizens that America represents fruit of the poisonous tree; that America was founded in evil, and that there is no arc to history." </p><p>As Shapiro fleshes out these points, he examines American history while providing current examples of Disintegrationism--and there are plenty. The strongest point overall is (and a point that will sound familiar to Shapiro's listeners) is that in spite of its flaws, the United States is freer and more just than any nation in history. America's so called "original sins" of slavery and genocide have been a part of human history since the dawn of man. But in the American experiment, our founding documents established ideals, and the history of the nation has been a process of reaching those ideals. The United States is not unique because of slavery, for example; it is unique in that it eradicated slavery. </p><p><i>How to Destroy America </i>is a welcome antidote to the liberal indoctrination that permeates academia, journalistic distortions like the debunked yet popular 1619 Project, and the policy proposals spewed by the left. It is substantive and challenging, well worth a read by any American who wants to gain a greater understanding of the roots and history of our nation.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=006300187X&asins=006300187X&linkId=5fad61d4c380f76f6fd1d9f8b82edfae&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-46721416900407405392020-09-02T13:30:00.037-07:002020-09-02T18:13:34.558-07:00Dangerous Virtues, by John Koessler<p>Sin. Who likes to talk about sin? Not many. But John Koessler takes on the traditional seven deadly sins in <i>Dangerous Virtues: How to Follow Jesus When Evil Masquerades As Good</i>. As a former pastor and current professor of theology, Koessler writes for the layperson, exploring sin as a corruption of our humanity. Part of being a disciple of Jesus is to correctly orient our natural inclinations. For example, the sin of envy does not imply that desire itself is wrong. "The key to defeating envy is not to suppress our capacity for desire but to reorient it. . . . We don't need to stop desiring. Our desires need a conversion."</p><p>Far from soft-selling or minimizing sin, Koessler takes it seriously. He writes, "Sin is more that a weakening of human goodness; it is an absence." Koessler's pastoral tones lends itself to discipleship, not condemnation. A recognition of sin, in this case the seven deadly ones, is an opportunity for understanding the human condition and the Christian call to holiness. Ultimately, the follower of Jesus can lean on Jesus' grace and forgiveness while growing in virtue. Koessler doesn't trivialize or minimize sin, nor does he trivialize following Christ, but he makes it clear that Christ's work in us is the only way.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=080241964X&asins=080241964X&linkId=73c20887037125aede78bec2e819bb55&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe><div><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-13005993803667420452020-08-31T13:30:00.039-07:002020-08-31T13:30:02.208-07:00Kids Off the Block, by Diane Latiker<p> What would you do if your kid was hanging around with a questionable group of kids? Most of us would probably keep our kids away from bad influences and protectively forbid our kids from spending time with them. Not Diane Latiker. When she saw many in her daughter's peer group getting involved with drugs, gangs, and street crime, she invited the kids into her home and spoke to them--and, importantly, listened to them. In <i>Kids Off the Block: The Inspiring True Story of One Woman's Quest to Protect Chicago's Most Vulnerable Youth</i>, Latiker tells the story of how she went from being a concerned mom to Miss Diane to a nationally recognized model for outreach to urban youth.</p><p>Word quickly spread that Miss Diane's house was warm and welcoming, that she offers help with homework, pick-up basketball, and lots of snack, and that it was a respite from the pressures of the street. Soon 10 kids turned into hundreds. She grew in her ability to lead and manage these kids, and never was willing to give up on any of them. One of the things I love about Latiker's story is that she doesn't sugar-coat it. This isn't a feel-good Disney-fied version of life in Chicago. These are kids who live in poverty, who are pressured to join a gang or be relentless bullied, and for whom dealing drugs seemed to be the only option for a better life. In plenty of cases, she made progress with a kid and then the draw of the streets was too much. Some kids whom she grew to love ended up dead, victims of a life they couldn't escape.</p><p>Latiker looked around her, reached out, and made a difference in countless lives. Her example is a great reminder that when trouble surrounds us, whatever neighborhood we live in, one can cower or flee, but a better answer is to love our neighbors, take time to get to know them, and help them each to see the potential they have. After more than a decade of loving the kids in her neighborhood, many have found a life outside of gangs and drug dealing. Some even help her mentor the younger kids. Her story will inspire you to embrace those around you who the world would write off.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1540900428&asins=1540900428&linkId=026312784a5db4a6bfcb28815a180acf&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<div><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-43591950248102457782020-08-26T13:30:00.024-07:002020-08-26T13:30:03.334-07:00Doesn't Hurt to Ask, by Trey Gowdy<p>Trey Gowdy served in the U.S. Congress for 8 years, gaining national prominence for his role in the Benghazi hearings. Drawing on his years in Congress and his career as a prosecutor, he has written <i>Don't Hurt to Ask: Using the Power of Questions to Communicate, Connect, and Persuade</i>. While the work of a prosecutor or a congressman chairing a hearing could be described as winning arguments, Gowdy said that in congress he "realized persuasion is not about winning arguments--it's about effectively and efficiently advocating for what it is you believe to be true." He writes that by asking "the right set of questions," you can direct someone to "arrive at the point you are trying to make on their own accord."</p><p>Gowdy's persuasive chops were honed in courtroom and in Congress. The examples he gives and the stories he tells draw from that experience, including cases he has prosecuted. He also tells stories from the congressional hearings that made him a household name. The main thrust of the book, however, is not a memoir of his life as a lawyer and congressman, but to describe principles that we can use in non-lawyer and non-lawmaker settings.</p><p>One lesson Gowdy learned in Washington is that South Carolina is a much more conservative place than D.C. and that heading to Congress with an expectation of gaining consensus is "not only a silly expectation, it's a disrespectful one." He learned not to seek or expect consensus but that "commonality is an admirable and reasonable" expectation.</p><p>Gowdy is a funny, self-effacing writer, so you can read this for his personality and stories. Some of his personal stories, like talking football with his brother-in-law or deflecting political questions from his golf buddies, are hilarious. But more than that, he really does give tools and ideas for questioning and persuading. Whatever role we are in, even if not in a courtroom or hearing room, his ideas will help you persuade and communicate.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0593138910&asins=0593138910&linkId=89866ef042683abe160a3dca7d363eb5&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe><div><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-69446544814319319722020-08-24T13:30:00.001-07:002020-08-24T13:30:02.803-07:00Murder Bears, Moonshine, and Mayhem, by Luke Harrington<p>Have you ever been reading the Bible and thought "Well that's strange/ offensive/ violent/ gross/ nasty/ disgusting!" Luke Harrington, preacher's kid, humorist, and novelist, had those thoughts frequently enough that he's gathered many of those passages into a book, <i>Murder-Bears, Moonshine, and Mayhem: Strange Stories from the Bible to Leave You Amused, Bemused, and (Hopefully) Informed</i>. </p><p>The stories Harrington tells are stories you may have heard before, but by putting them all together in a book, he really makes the Bible look like a nutty book. This is not a devotional book. It's not a book you would want to give to a child. And it's probably not a book you want to give to a new believer or someone who is struggling in his or her faith.</p><p>To enjoy this book you have to have a strong sense of humor, especially an appreciation for potty jokes, and strong tolerance for jokes and language that push the boundaries of church talk. The chapter titles alone give you an idea of what to expect: "I Like Biblical Butts and I Cannot Lie," "And Now for Something Completely Violent," and "Take a Tip from Me (Circumcision and More Phallic Fun)." In my opinion, even when he's being irreverent, he doesn't cross the line to disrespect for the Bible or corrupting the message of the gospel. However, there were several points at which I thought, "I can't believe a Christian publisher put this out!"</p><p>Harrington's writing is frequently laugh-out-loud funny and, as the subtitle promises, frequently informative. Yes, he's getting a laugh out of some of the zanier passages of scripture, but he does so in a way that puts the potentially offensive material in context and helps the reader understand how these passages fit into the overall message of the Bible. This is funny stuff that should find an honored spot on your Bible study bookshelf.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0785234446&asins=0785234446&linkId=44bb5885779a2a94bcac210cc53a0ccf&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<div><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-83097129010720207532020-08-23T15:30:00.020-07:002020-09-02T18:14:22.324-07:00Fauja Singh Keeps Going, by Simran Jeet Singh, illustrated by Baljinder Kaur<p>How many people have you heard say they could never run a marathon? Pick your excuse, but someone over 100 could legitimately use age as an excuse to bow out. But Fauja Singh didn't make excuses, he just become the first centenarian to run a marathon! The children's book <i>Fauja Singh Keeps Going</i> tells his inspiring story. The story, written by Simran Jeet Singh and illustrated by Bajlinder Kaur, shows the hardships Fauja had to overcome as a child, talks about his Sikh faith, and, most of all, shows his love of running. This is a fun, cute book that should inspire all kinds of runners.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0525555099&asins=0525555099&linkId=e20132302d30a72280e642a5ba278412&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe><div><i>Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-88777674267523584402020-08-19T13:30:00.073-07:002020-08-19T13:30:01.172-07:00Still Right, by Rick Tyler<p>As the 2020 presidential race heats up, it seems like the divide between left and right in American politics is wider than ever. We are told this is the most important election of our lifetime. Well, we've heard that before. Is it true this time? An interesting and somewhat annoying byproduct of the Trump administration is the seemingly endless train of long-time Republicans who have turned their backs on Trump. Rick Tyler is one who has solid conservative Republican credentials and experience, but who doesn't have much good to say about Trump's version of the Republican party. In <i>Still Right: An Immigrant-Loving, Hybrid Driving, Composting American Makes the Case for Conservatism</i>, Tyler argues that today's Republicans have left behind the conservatism that shaped the party in the latter part of the 20th century in favor of Trumpian populism.</p><p>Tyler, a political consultant who has worked in party politics, in political consulting alongside Newt Gingrich, and now as a commentator on MSNBC, says that the "Republican Party has shifted from a pro-immigration, pro-trade, pro-NATO party to one unrecognizable to a Reagan conservative." His arguments are convincing, to a point, but he ignores half the story on many of these issues. I can buy a pro-immigration stance, as long as limits are in place and controlled. How can Americans look at Europe and the loss of culture they are experiencing due to immigration from Africa and the Middle East and get excited about large numbers of immigrants from those areas? While immigrants are frequently productive and peaceful, what does one say about the large numbers who receive government assistance, or the large numbers of non-citizens in our prisons?</p><p>One can be pro-trade while also being circumspect about tariffs and trade balances. When we are trading with China, with its centrally controlled, heavily subsidized industries, can we expect American manufacturers to compete on such an uneven playing field? And pro-NATO? I tend to agree with Trump, that the alliance should be supported by the US, but also proportionately by the other countries. </p><p>Tyler throws out a couple of interesting proposals that he defends from a conservative perspective. First, he argues that we should add a justice to the Supreme Court. Democrats have been pushing the idea of packing the court with liberals once they get a D in the White House, but Tyler's proposal is that with one more justice, we won't have a single justice giving the decisive vote. I like this idea, which would perhaps push some cases back to lower courts with a tie, but would force more deliberation toward 6-4 decisions. His second proposal is not so cool. Like many Democrats, he argues for a national popular vote in presidential elections. As it stands, candidates only consider 8-10 states to be truly in play, so those states get the most campaign spending and candidate presence. Congressmen from those states are, as a result, seen as more consequential than those from solidly R or D states. It's an interesting idea, but I'll take the Constitution's formula.</p><p>It's true that Trump is not a dyed-in-the-wool conservative. But he's done more for conservatives than some of his Republican predecessors. The real question is, what direction is he taking the country? I have not watched Tyler's MSNBC appearances or followed his social media (I will now), and I don't know, even after reading this book, whether he will support Trump in the presidential election. It's pretty clear he did not in 2016, but given the choice between Trump and Biden, who better represents the conservative ideas you believe in? Who offers better opportunities for conservatives to gain influence in policy? Even if you don't believe Trump is truly conservative, and rightly point out ways he has governed that are more populist than conservative, do you really believe Biden will govern more conservatively than Trump? I don't think so. Tyler can help set the path for conservatism after Trump, hopefully without a socialist Biden/Harris interlude.</p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1250256496&asins=1250256496&linkId=306438eb64bd04de6c73d00d381900be&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe><div><i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic copy!</i></div>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-79648353209916160592020-08-17T13:30:00.003-07:002020-08-17T13:30:06.321-07:00Trump and the American Future, by Newt Gingrich<p>The more I hear from Newt Gingrich, the more I appreciate him. Like me, you may vaguely recall that he actually ran for president in 2012, losing in the primaries to the empty suit Mitt Romney. Romney's incompetent campaign closed the gap a little, losing to Obama by less than McCain had lost in 2012, but one can't help but wonder if Gingrich, with his political smarts and policy chops could have fared better. Post-2012, Gingrich has remained very active in the political world as a consultant, media and podcast commentator, and writer. Since Trump was elected, he has written or co-written four policy books as well as a couple of novels. His latest, <i>Trump and the American Future: Solving the Great Problems of Our Time</i>, should serve as a policy guide for 2020 and beyond. </p><p>I don't know how large a role Gingrich has in the Trump administration. I suspect it's larger than we know, as he has no official title, but it's probably not as large as it should be. <i>Trump and the American Future</i> does, to a certain extent, discuss Trump's positions on a wide variety of issues. But what Gingrich is really doing is laying out what Trump's positions <i>should </i>be. Looking toward the 2020 election and beyond, Gingrich has policy recommendations that Trump would be wise to implement. If you know Gingrich at all, you won't be surprised to her that the book is wonky--<i>really </i>wonky. He gets into a lot of technical details on economy, health care (probably 1/4 of the book is on health care and related topics), the environment, foreign policy, and crime. He's a smart guy (PhD) but there's no question he made extensive use of his co-author and a team of researchers to come up with some quality analysis and workable proposals.</p><p>By the way, it's really impressive how timely and relevant the book is, given the fact that it was submitted for publication in March, when Covid 19 had just hit our shores. Gingrich may have been a tad optimistic about the implications of the virus, but for the most part his early analysis and evaluations are spot-on.</p><p>Gingrich is the conservative's conservative. His support of Trump has perhaps pushed the limits on that, as President Trump himself has not always read from the conservative playbook. But to the extent that Trump does listen to Gingrich, I'd say more power to you, Newt! As he says to start the book, 2020 is vital. We need more solutions like Newt's, not Biden's left-wing puppet masters.</p><p><br /></p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=readiglutt-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1546085041&asins=1546085041&linkId=be96be04556a01d159990d734175532b&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-58742134924467777152020-08-12T15:30:00.000-07:002020-08-12T15:30:03.452-07:00Born Again and Again, by Megan WestraMegan Westra was raised in a strong Christian tradition. Her family and church immersed her in the Christian faith, and she first committed to following Jesus at age four. Given the young age and her lack of memory, she spent a good deal of her childhood doubting her salvation and seeking to be "born again . . . and again." In college, she began having revelations that expanded her view of faith, leading to several moments of feeling like she was truly being born again into new understanding. In her book <i>Born Again and Again: Jesus' Call to Radical Transformation</i> she chronicles her journey and digs into areas of faith and practice in which she has learned and grown.<br />
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The strongest theme throughout the book is that we, a church, should be about "connection over consumption." The modern church, especially in the evangelical tradition in which Westra (and I) grew up has placed a strong emphasis on personal salvation and a personal, individualized faith in Jesus. That emphasis misses the greater calling of community and communal life. All Christians can benefit from a reminder that faith is not just about connecting with God, but also about connecting with our neighbor. She uses this filter throughout the book as she discusses politics, race, economics, and gender.<br />
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Westra's book is reactive to the white evangelical faith of her upbringing. She finds it wholly inadequate in light of her new-found wokeness. In the areas mentioned above, she provides some historical background in an attempt to discredit American evangelicalism. Like every human expression of faith in every period of history, culture and sin have played a role in shaping the institutions and expressions of the Christian faith, so correctives and reforms are always necessary. But she has little good to say about, specifically, American evangelicalism. Despite its whiteness, American evangelicals led the charge in eradicating slavery, in establishing institutions such as hospitals and schools that continue to serve humanity, planting churches and leading revival movements that brought faith to many across the US, and creating a foreign missions movement for spreading the gospel around the world. To the extent that these positive contributions are mentioned, she is dismissive of them due to racist elements of the movements. <br />
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Like many of her ilk, she is critical of capitalism and American democracy. This shouldn't be hard for her to see, but if she truly is interested in addressing poverty, history and experience have shown that this is best done through capitalism and free markets. And it should go without saying that socialism and communism have inevitably led to repression of religious expression everywhere they have been tried. Her recommendations for community action are fully on board with socialistic and anti-capitalistic tendencies which, in the long run, create more poverty and less religious freedom.<br />
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As much as I appreciate Westra's commitment to being the presence of Christ in her community, which, as she tells it, is quite diverse racially and economically, and has plenty of needs, her solutions are feel-good but ineffective. I would love to see more people who have her commitment to know the poor not as subjects but as friends and neighbors, but who will offer solutions that lead away from dependency and toward increased participation in the free market system and the free society, toward connection with their communities by providing goods and services in mutual exchange.<br />
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<i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-6089966324923609672020-08-10T15:30:00.000-07:002020-08-10T15:30:00.332-07:00The Standardization of Demoralization Procedures, by Jennifer HofmannI was very much looking forward to reading Jennifer Hofmann's <i>The Standardization of Demoralization Procedures</i>. It sounded like a Kafka-esque story of a bureaucrat caught in the cogs of his own bureaucratic system. That is true of the story; it definitely hearkens to Kafka, especially in the early going. Bernd Zeiger established his place in the Stasi with his manual "The Standardization of Demoralization Procedures," but now at the end of his career, his relevance is tenuous. <br />
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Zieger uses his resources to try to track down Lara, a young lady with whom he crossed paths and became obsessed with. Like many East Berliners, she is missing. The government doesn't want to admit that East Germans are fleeing the country, but the allure of the West is too strong for many living under communism. The story of his search becomes flashbacks, and flashbacks during flashbacks, building a twisted chain of events that eventually will turn Zeiger's methods back on him.<br />
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In the same vein as Kafka's fiction, Hofmann's story give a glimpse into life in East Berlin in the post WW2 era, right up to the fall of the Berlin wall. The story itself didn't grip me, and the cultural and historical material took a back seat to the story. There were some interesting twists, but ultimately I was disappointed.<br />
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<i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-11986306550895285652020-08-09T15:30:00.000-07:002020-08-09T15:30:13.161-07:00Abled: Same But Different, by Cathleen MoritaThe genetic disorder EBF3-HADDS was only identified a few years ago, but there is already a children's book that features a child with HADDS. Chase was one of the first kids diagnosed. His mother Cathleen Morita has written about Chase in a new children's book <i>Abled: Same But Different</i>.<br />
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By showing bits and pieces of Chase's life and experiences, she shows that he's a little boy like so many little boys, and loves to do the same things many little boys like to do, but he does things differently and experiences things differently. The cute illustrations show him at home in Hawaii, enjoying the beach, his dog, and many different activities.<br />
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<i>Abled</i> is a great resource for kids with HADDS and other disabilities, as well as their care providers, teachers, and families, to get a glimpse into life with HADDS. What a joy for a child with this newly diagnosed, rare disorder to see, in storybook form, a child with the same diagnosis he or she has!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmehd_MYjmEox4X-PCLUFqWW5YHwEXHSuzFa92LXtStIFwv1iC_HKj7I1RvvwC50cl49DYqw1hyphenhyphenZkuQlOiiGMKaouyTDOERM5v_0rvjIQK6dESv2rqpkkLXvEWbbYBTKlaL6-Y8oVgAiZ/s1600/FC18F231-CC3F-4431-83EE-FC0C6B3AE880.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmehd_MYjmEox4X-PCLUFqWW5YHwEXHSuzFa92LXtStIFwv1iC_HKj7I1RvvwC50cl49DYqw1hyphenhyphenZkuQlOiiGMKaouyTDOERM5v_0rvjIQK6dESv2rqpkkLXvEWbbYBTKlaL6-Y8oVgAiZ/s320/FC18F231-CC3F-4431-83EE-FC0C6B3AE880.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My daughter is delighted to read a book about a child<br />who has the same diagnosis she has!</td></tr>
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My wife's blog review:<br />
<a href="https://ebf3blog.wordpress.com/2020/08/07/abled-the-hadds-book/">https://ebf3blog.wordpress.com/2020/08/07/abled-the-hadds-book/</a><br />
<br />Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4481224408801436774.post-59556534798154062482020-08-08T15:30:00.000-07:002020-08-08T15:30:00.638-07:00Men to Avoid in Art and Life, by Nicole Tersigni<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8jN0BldOMguC19Yib1GZVNbmUjplrnGDI4fhhEtbeSV4nnv4aF2BA-h7gJCk7mcxYCanQ6GGWlc4Wfi8eJM6ZGm76CVqO3jQb_eE8LuYNfMUs6Gw1FVsoouJqwVMYu-D10Pi4g4ZId40/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-04-19+at+6.24.34+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="645" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8jN0BldOMguC19Yib1GZVNbmUjplrnGDI4fhhEtbeSV4nnv4aF2BA-h7gJCk7mcxYCanQ6GGWlc4Wfi8eJM6ZGm76CVqO3jQb_eE8LuYNfMUs6Gw1FVsoouJqwVMYu-D10Pi4g4ZId40/s320/Screen+Shot+2020-04-19+at+6.24.34+PM.png" width="223" /></a>Nicole Tersigni's idea for <i>Men to Avoid in Art and Life</i> is fun and silly and sure to bring a smile to the women in your life. She takes classic art and adds captions to bring some more modern sensibilities to the fore. She divides the book into sections dealing with mansplaining, sexperts, and misplaced concern.<br />
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This is funny stuff, even if it does base its humor on stale stereotypes about male attitudes and behaviors. Only the thinnest skinned man will be offended, and men and women alike will get a chuckle about the familiarity of the scenarios. (But it's other men, not me. . . .)<br />
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By the way, for the art lover, she provides a listing of the works and artists, as well as the museums where the are found.<br />
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<i>Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!</i>Paul Mastinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15381778568156000712noreply@blogger.com0